Digital range sensor system
AssigneeCyberOptics Corporation
InventorsEric P. Rudd, William P. Kennedy, Troy R. Pesola, David D. Madsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A digital range sensor comprises a light source, an optical element to focus the light from the source down to a small spot on a target, a second optical element that is mounted obliquely from the source axis, and a prism mounted on a multi-element detector, which in turn is mounted at the focus of the light returning from the target. The purpose of the prism on the detector is to direct the light onto the active surface of the detector at an angle closer to normal incidence than would otherwise be possible. The detector produces digital data which is transferred to a control module for processing and to produce a numerical range measurement.
Claims21
A range sensor for making range measurements and determining the dimensions of a target, comprising:
- a light source for directing light along a path to said target;
- a transmitter within said light path for focusing the light onto said target;
- a receiver to gather the light reflected from the target and to focus the reflected light, said receiver having a substantially large numerical aperture;
- a detector having a detecting surface designed to detect the reflected light, and wherein said substantially large numerical aperture operates to substantially reduce speckle at said detecting surface;
- and
- at least one optical element constructed and arranged to reduce the incident angle of said reflected light with respect to said detector outside an image plane of said reflected light.
A range sensor for making range measurements and determining the dimensions of a target, comprising:
- a light source for directing light along a path to said target;
- a transmitter within said light path for focusing the light onto said target;
- a receiver to gather the light reflected from the target and to focus the reflected light, said receiver having a substantially large numerical aperture;
- a detector having a detecting surface designed to detect the reflected light, and wherein said substantially large numerical aperture operates to substantially reduce speckle at said detecting surface;
- and
- a filter constructed and arranged to block out unwanted wavelengths of light to minimize stray light sensitivity of the detector, wherein said filter is tilted to correct for aberrations.
A range sensor for making range measurements and determining the dimensions of a target, comprising:
- a light source for directing light along a path to said target;
- a transmitter within said light path for focusing the light onto said target;
- a receiver to gather the light reflected from the target and to focus the reflected light, said receiver having a substantially large numerical aperture;
- a detector having a detecting surface designed to detect the reflected light, and wherein said substantially large numerical aperture operates to substantially reduce speckle at said detecting surface;
- a filter constructed and arranged to block out unwanted wavelengths of light to minimize stray light sensitivity of the detector;
- and
- at least one optical element constructed and arranged to reduce the incident angle of said reflected light with respect to said detector outside an image plane of said reflected light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.